Picture framing mat and edge molding

ABSTRACT

A picture framing mat and edge molding for photographs, paintings, graphic arts, etc. which includes a mat board provided with an opening and which has a molding edge about the edges of the opening that has a shoulder wall of substantially the thickness of the mat board, in order to lie relatively flush with it, and a thin walled flange extending from its underside for adhesive engagement to the underside of the mat board to hold the molding edge in close fitted engagement with the mat edges that frame the opening.

EJnited States Patent [1 1 [111 3,789,529 Thom Feb. 5, 1974 PICTURE FRAMING MAT AND EDGE MOLDING [76] Inventor: Robert A. Thom, 6160 W. Surrey,

Birmingham, Mich. 48011 [22] Filed: Sept. 27, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 183,889

[52] U.S. Cl 40/158 R [51] Int. Cl. G09f l/lO [58] Field of Search 40/152, 154, 158

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 944,601 12/1909 Davison 40/152 1,959,988 5/1934 Prew 40/152 2,587,022 2/1952 Langan.... 40/158 X 1,845,327 2/1932 Paget 40/158 R 3,237,333 3/1966 Bacharach 40/152 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 139,868 I/l95l Australia 40/158 Primary ExaminerRobert W. Michell Assistant Examiner-Wenceslao J. Contreras Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Dale A. Winnie [57] ABSTRACT A picture framing mat and edge molding for photographs, paintings, graphic arts, etc. which includes a mat board provided with an opening and which has a molding edge about the edges of the opening that has a shoulder wall of substantially the thickness of the mat board, in order to lie relatively flush with it, and a thin walled flange extending from its underside for adhesive engagement to the underside of the mat board to hold the molding edge in close fitted engagement with the mat edges that frame the opening.

2 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures Patented Feb. 5, 1974 Al IOHNEY PICTURE FRAMING MAT AND EDGE MOLDING BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION It is customary to provide a mat about a picture when it is being framed for various reasons; such as, to give the frame the appearance of greater width, to soften the contrast, or create a contrast, between the picture and the frame, and for other artistic and asthetic purposes.

The matting is usually a pressed paper board of some thickness to give it stiffness, for whatever width is used, and its inner edge, about the picture, is cut to provide a clean straight edge, usually with a slight level. In some instances the inner edge is cut square and a contrasting inner mat may be used, fitted closely to the outer mat, and with its own inner edge cut at an incline or bevel to provide a softer shadow-free edge about the picture.

A good clean cut straight edge can be provided on the inner edge of the matting, but it is a job that must be done carefully. It is slow and tedious work with considerable care required at the corners, and there is usu- I ally a great deal of scrap loss which makes good work somewhat expensive.

Although efforts have been made to dress the edge of the matting, as by gilting with a gold leaf paint, applied by hand, or the use of a small molding edge, none have been too successful, at least to any commercial extent.

Any molding which is only as thick as the mat board that is used, will twist, warp, or otherwise pull away from the mat edge. And it is difficult, if not virtually impossible, to fasten and hold such a small molding securely to the very narrow edge of the mat boards that are used. If an inner frame molding is used which stands higher than the mat, the problem is still the same and ifa glass covering also is used there is a dead space over the mat that may cause the mat itself to raise, bow or undulate, if the picture is hung in areas where the humidity is high.

As a consequence, there has been no solution to this age old problem heretofor.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This inention is directed to an edge molding particularly designed and suited for use with picture mats.

It includes a relatively thin and narrow molding edge with a thin flange wall, flush with its bottom side, that extends laterally outward along the full length thereof. The molding itself need be no thicker than the mat board used and the flange little more than paper thick.

The molding edge fits tight against the picture framing edge of the mat and the thin flange wall extends under the edge of the mat and is adhered to its underside.

The thin flange is sufficiently wide for good and secure engagement to the mat edge and still of a width which assures good rigidity and straightness, for itself and the molding edge. Accordingly, it holds the molding edge tight against the mat edge and provides added stiffness for the mat edge as well. Although principally intended for the use mentioned, the edge molding may also be used as a border for placards and other display items, where a better dressed edge is desired and/or additional edge stiffness is required.

These and other objects, uses and advantages of the present invention will be further discussed in the description of a preferred embodiment of the invention which follows hereinafter.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a picture frame mat with the edge molding of the prsent invention used therewith.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the picture frame mat and edge molding as seen in the plane of line 22 in the first drawing figure and looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged and fragmentary corner view of the back side of the picture frame mat and edge molding shown in the first drawing figure.

FIG. 4 is a slight perspective view of a placard with the edge molding of the present invention used as a border around it.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the placard and edge molding shown in the previous drawing figure, as seen in the plane of line 55 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a piece of the edge molding of the present invention, with the covering for a pressure sensitive adhesive coating on the molding flange shown lifted up. I

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view through an extrusion by which the edge molding of the present invention is shown as formed in mirror pairs with a separation therebetween.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view through a picture frame member, showing the edge molding as it may be used therewith.

DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS Referring to the drawing figures, and in particular to FIGS. 1-3, there is shown a mat 10, for photographs, paintings, graphic prints, etc, which was originally a mat board generally rectangular in shape and having parallel outer side edges 12 and 14 and parallel top and bottom edges 16 and 18.

The material of which the mat board is made is of no particular importance to the prsent invention. It may be of pressed paper, of laminar construction with a filler material having a textured front cover sheet and a back cover sheet, or any other type or material.

The mat board has a certain edge thickness 20 and is provided with a center opening 22 so that there are side borders 24 and 26 and top and bottom borders 28 and 30 about the opening and square cut inner side edges 32 and 34 as well as top and bottom edges 36 and 38 forming the opening through which, it will be appreciated, a picture is normally viewed.

About the inner sid edges 32 and 34 and along the top and bottom edges 36 and 38 of the mat opening is provided the edge molding 40 of the present invention.

A piece of the edge molding 40 is shown in FIG. 6 and is best described with reference thereto.

It includes a molding edge 42, which in the present instance is elliptical in shape but may be of any other artistic configuration, as will be later discussed. And it has a thin walled flange 44 that is flush with the bottom of the molding edge and extends laterally outward therefrom along the full length of the molding.

The molding flange 44 is shown in the drawing figures as having a greater thickness than is actually the case, or is necessary. In fact, it is preferably paper thin or close thereto so that it does not add any appreciable thickness to the edge of the picture mat to which it is attached.

There is a stepped shoulder 46 behind the molding edge 42 and over the flange 44. And, it is this shoulder wall that is fitted close against the mat edge with which the edge molding is used. The depth of the shoulder wall, and for that matter of the molding edge, since the flange wall is made so relatively thin, is normally matched to whatever the thickness is of the picture mat with which it will be used, so that the top edge of the molding is flush with the front face of the picture mat, as shown in FIG. 2. Variations are permissible where a line of demarkation is desirable but for simply finishing the inner edge of a mat opening, the flush arrangement is recommended.

The outer edge of the flange 44 is feathered, as at 47, and a pressure sensitive adhesive coating 48 is provided on its upper face, with a strip-off covering 50. Upon removing the adhesive protective covering the flange wall may be easily and readily affixed to the underside of an inner edge of the picture mat about the picture opening.

As shown in FIG. 3, th thin flange 44 will overlay the backside edge of the mat sufficiently to assure good adhesion along its full length, and it is mitered at the corners as at 52, to provide a finished appearance on both sides. Although the flange wall is not very wide, nor of appreciable thickness, it adds a rigidity to the mat edge, in combination with the molding'edge with which it is formed, that assures added stiffness and that the mat edges wili lie flat next to the picture being framed.

Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 5, a placard 54 is shown and represents any card, display board or whatever with wide edges 60 and 62 to which the edge molding 40 of the prsent invention may be applied. As shown in both figures, the molding flange 44 is adhered to the back side about the edges of the placard and the molding edge 42 has its shoulder wall 46 fitted ciose to the edges and so that it provides a bordering edge all the way around.

FIG. 7 shows one of the ways that the edge molding of this invention may be made. Namely, it is extruded in the shape shown so that there are two complete edge molding strips 40, in mirror relation to each other and with a clevis 64 formed at the ends of the flange walls 44, from underneath, so that thy can be cut apart and separated later. This provides the feathered edge 47 and also a depression between the two molding ends that includes the faces of the flange walls that rquire the pressure sensitive adhesive coating and, consequently, enables easier application of the adhesive to both at the same time. It also enables easier application of the protective covering over the adhesive and use of either a one piece strip, that is cut when the two edge molding strips are cut apart, or a strip with a tear perforation lengthwise down the middle, if desired.

The extrusions made would be in 4 to 6 foot lengths, or longer, depending upon the ease of handling, shipping, etc, desired, and would be made preferably of a white opaque plastic material, although different colors, vacuum plating in gold or silver, and even a clear plastic with a gold or silver foil leaf embedded in the molding edge are conceivable. Or, even anodized aluminum could be used. The white opaque material is the most versatile, however, and serves best as a bordering edge for most picture mats since it can be painted, antiqued or stippled, as desired.

FIG. 8 shows a picture frame molding 66 with an over hanging edge 68 that borders the inside edge and provides an undercut area 70 within which a picture and one or two mats may be provided, as in overlapping relation. Here again is another place where the edge molding 40 may be used, as shown, on the frame edge itself with the thin adhesive coated flange wall 44 stuck to the underside of the overhang 68 and with themolding 42 exposed on the very edge. As can be appreciated, in a decorative color, or gold leaf, such an edge molding will provide a very attractive accent line and will avoid the hand painting that would otherwise be required. At the same time, the minimal thickness of the molding flange 44 still leaves the full depth of the undercut edge available for double matting or other use.

In conclusion, and to reiterate the uses and advantages of the edge molding of this invention, it may be inexpensively made, by extrusion, using a plastic material. It may have a molding edge which is elliptical, as shown, or any other contour but is not limited in this respect since it may also be molded in given lengths with a molding edge having any desired ornate or artistic design and configuration on its face.

The laterally disposed flange wall 44 is formed integral with the molding edge 42 and is of a width and relative thickness which will provide added stiffness to the molding itself and to the edge of a mat or placard with which used. But it is not itself appreciably more than paper thick. As a consequence, it does not add to the thickness of the mat nor preclude the edges of the mat from laying essentially flat against the picture with which the bordering mat is used.

The pressure sensitive adhesive coating 48 enables the edge molding to be readily applied and securely adhered to the inner edge of a picture mat, or outer edge of a placard or the like, with the mat or card edge tightly butted against the shoulder wall 46 of the molding edge and so that it provides a very finished and attractive visual edge.

I claim:

1. A picture framing mat for photographs, paintings, graphic arts, and the like, comprising; a mat board provided with an opening therethrough including substantially parallel side edges and top and bottom edges, the edges framing said opening being square cut and having a molding edge of substantially like thickness as said mat board received in aligned and close fitting engagement with said opening edges therearound and within, said molding edge including a thin walled flange extending from the bottom edge thereof laterally outward and received under said mat board, and an adhesive coating on the upper surface of said flange for adhesive engagement to the underside of said mat board and the retension of said molding edge thereto.

2. The picture framing mat of claim 1, said molding edge and thin walled flange being formed integrally and being cut and mitered to fit said opening edges. 

1. A picture framing mat for photographs, paintings, graphic arts, and the like, comprising; a mat board provided with an opening therethrough including substantially parallel side edges and top and bottom edges, the edges framing said opening being square cut and having a molding edge of substantially like thickness as said mat board received in aligned and close fitting engagement with said opening edges therearound and within, said molding edge including a thin walled flange extending from the bottom edge thereof laterally outward and received under said mat board, and an adhesive coating on the upper surface of said flange for adhesive engagement to the underside of said mat board and the retension of said molding edge thereto.
 2. The picture framing mat of claim 1, said molding edge and thin walled flange being formed integrally and being cut and mitered to fit said opening edges. 